PUBG roadmap explained - all the new features and updates coming in the Xbox Roadmap and on PC
All the info on PUBG's roadmaps for 2018.
PUBG Roadmap details have emerged in recent times and as a result we now, at last, have a pretty clear idea of what Bluehole is set to do next - at least, we do for the more immediate future!
Here on this page, we'll outline the current status of the both the Xbox PUBG Roadmap and the original PUBG Roadmap for PC - which runs slightly ahead of its console cousin - so you have a clear idea of what's coming up soon and, where the developer has said anything specific, when we can expect it to arrive.
PUBG Roadmap for PC - what's the 2018 PC PUBG Roadmap?
There's lots going on for PC PUBG players this year - here's what we know about each new feature and change planned in the Roadmap for 2018. We'll start with a quick list of all those that have since gone live, and then dive into the stuff that's coming up just below.
PUBG Roadmap features out now:
- New 4x4 Map - Codenamed savage, this is now out in wild and called Sanhok, bringing with it some new weapons and vehichles, too.
- Emote System - You can check how to use these and what they're for in our guide to PUBG Emotes.
- New Vechicles and Weapons - This one's sort of ongoing, but we've already had a range of new vehicles, with more like Sanhok's tuk tuk to come, plus new weapons, which you can read about in our weapons and damage stats list.
- Achievements, in-game friends list, squad voice chat, weapon skins - You can read the rundown in our PUBG Achievements list.
- Limb and Vehicle bullet penetration - Out in the wild but likely to still be tweaked over time, this means that bullets now travel through arms to hit your body too, for reduced damage, mind. You can also get shot in the body and head through vehicles while inside them, too.
- Custom games - Some great news is that these are available for everyone now, and again you can read more in our PUBG Custom Games guide!
- Community development and the PUBG API - If you're a community developer you can now find the PUBG API portal here.
PUBG roadmap features coming 2018:
Here's a list of what's still to come in PUBG this year, or an ongoing process that'll be going for some time.
New Game Modes - Unknown
"We're still early days when it comes to hammering out all the kinks and details, so I'm unfortunately not yet at a place where I can share specifics." - That's the official word from Playerunkown himself, so there's little to go on here, but some time a little later on in 2018 is what we can expect!
At the very least though, we've seen various event modes come in and out of rotation over the weekends, and the Deathmatch style War mode snuck onto the custom game rotation, too!
Animation overhauls - 2018
No specifics here other than "2018", so don't expect this in a hurry. Animations are due to arrive for getting in and out of vehicles, as well as improving character movement in general.
Parachuting and melee and armed combat overhaul - 2018
Again, the mention of this is extremely vague, and it's strange that combat overhauls were grouped in with parachuting.
Parachutes are set to become more responsive, but otherwise the combat is just going to be "improved" one way or another. Expect to here more on that down the line.
Stability, optimization and security - year-round
In essence, Bluehole and Brendan Greene have simply re-stated their commitment here to improving general aspects like stability over time, and continuing to combat cheaters and bugs, which is always good news, even if results seem to vary patch-to-patch as things stand.
The big standout is the announcement of "FIX PUBG", named in reference to the endless sass of PUBG's steam community comments, which is a dedicated site that documents progress on improving the game's general ability to function as it should.
Sound improvements - vehicles in the first half of 2018, player movement in the second
Suspension and skidding sounds are the standouts for vehicle sound improvements, as well as rain and weather sounds on vehicle surfaces. Gun sounds have been factored into this, and they're set to sound "more distinctly different" depending on your point of view, which should be handy - that change took place in May 2018, although PUBG Corp. seemingly forgot to announce it at the time.
Player movement sounds are more about what equipment you're carrying, as well as breathing sounds for different kinds of movement and aiming. Some of these are now out in the wild but again, we sort of expect this to continue being tweaked over the course of the year.
Esports, matchmaking and replays - 2018
General improvements are due to come for the PUBG's 3D replay system, as well as matchmaking tweaks, too. We saw the first of this with the release of the Fortnite-style spectator system, that lets you watch the person who killed you as they progress through the match.
There have also been several waves of general bug fixes that hit for the replay system in the particular, but expect this one to be a fairly ongoing process.
PUBG update #29 is live: here's our guide to the latest PUBG patch notes for update 29 to get you up to speed. Meanwhile, we've dedicated pages on the Sanhok map, Erangel map and Miramar map and Vikendi map, too. If you're after some broader advice, our list of PUBG tips and tricks, PUBG weapon damage stats and the best weapons and best PUBG loot locations can help.
PUBG Xbox Roadmap - what new features are coming to PUBG on Xbox?
Similarly to PUBG on PC, Bluehole has released a dedicated Roadmap for PUBG on Xbox, specifically relating to Spring 2018. Here's what to expect.
Performance optimisations - ongoing
The developers clearly aren't happy with the performance of PUBG on Xbox right now, and rightly so. In brief, here's what they've promised to continue working on:
- Optimized game characters and their movements
- Optimized the number of particle effects that are spawned by vehicles and grenades
- Optimized object collision complexity
- Balanced the game work across all CPU cores to reduce streaming hitches when moving
Generally, a lot of the below are quite vague, so we've kept them as-is rather than gathering in the one's that are already implemented, as we expect work to continue on them over the course of the year.
UI Optimisations - Spring 2018 / Ongoing
"HDR and Safe Zone options, the quality of the individual assets, the speed at which they load and how they react to your selection" is the quote from Bluehole. Generally, more options, more well-implemented, is the goal.
Improved Inventory UX - Spring 2018 / Ongoing
The main goal is making the inventory easier to use and, importantly, more responsive when you do use it. Bluehole is aware of how important that is in tense late-game situations, too.
Controller Options - Spring 2018 / Ongoing
Additional preset configurations, wider rage of aiming options, and a general sense of increased satisfaction with what you can do.
Matchmaking improvements - Spring 2018 / Ongoing
Very vague notes here, with a simple promise to " further improve matchmaking for Duo and Squad modes."
Reporting features - Spring 2018 / Ongoing
Streamlined report system, in essence, so you can report other players faster and more effectively.
Vehicle and Limb Penetration - Out now!
As of Xbox Update 18, these systems are fully fledged and in the wild on Xbox. In the same update is the introduction of Dynamic Weather and a few tweaks to coastal areas to give a bit more cover.
Achievements - September 4th (formerly Spring) 2018
Xbox PUBG Achievements are coming! It looks like they'll be coming when the game hits version 1.0 - the full official release - on Xbox on September 4th 2018.
Sound improvements - Spring 2018 / Ongoing
A much more vague mention of sound here than on PC - "We're going to continue improvements to audio quality and directional sound." Hopefully that's in similar ways - like the introduction of player and weapon sounds - as the PC update mentioned above.
Emotes and customisation options - Out now / Ongoing (formerly Spring) 2018
"We want to offer a wide range of options for you to customize your character in style" - it's not clear if that means things like weapon and parachute skins like those out on PC, but at least emotes are specifically mentioned, which is neat! Those are out now, but we can probably expect more customisation options to come in the future.
A Test Server - Out now!
Just like on PC, a playable test server is now available on Xbox! This is a great way to try out new features in a low-pressure environment, and we'd like to think it helps worm out a few extra bugs before things are implemented on live servers, so we're glad to see it hitting consoles, too.
Miramar - Out now!
That's right, the PUBG desert map Miramar is finally here on Xbox. More details on the map itself in that link just above, if you want to read more!
Sanhok is coming! - September 4th
Finally, the 4x4 map Sanhok is coming to Xbox on September 4th, with the game's full launch. Whether that means to awkwardly-implemented PUBG Event Pass will arrive with it on console as it did on PC is another question, though.